You have a lot of responsibilities as a homeowner when it comes to maintenance and protecting the value of your home. Even your roof needs regular care so it has a long life and protects your home from water damage. A roof can be dangerous to care for yourself since a slip and fall could cause serious harm. Fortunately, you can hire a roofer to keep your roof in good shape through regular checks and repairs. Here's a look at four residential roofing services you might need to have done over the life of your roof.

1. Repair Roof Leaks

Roof leaks are fairly common, and it's important to have them fixed promptly before too much damage is done. The type of residential roofing you have plays a role in the way the roofer looks for damage and repairs it. For instance, cracks in clay tiles can usually be sealed while damage to asphalt shingles can be repaired by slipping in a new shingle in place of the bad one. Metal roofing may not crack or need the panels replaced, but the roofing might need to have rust removed, holes patched, and screws tightened.

2. Remove Moss And Algae

You'll probably want growths removed from your roof since they can make it look unsightly. Moss could even harm your roof, so when you see things growing on your shingles or tiles, call a roofing contractor to check the situation and recommend a remedy.

Algae and moss can be removed by cleaning them off, and the roofer can install products on your roof that keep the growths from coming back.

3. Replace A Roof After Hail Damage

If hailstones are large enough, they can damage just about any type of roof. When a hailstorm strikes, your roof will probably be pelted with many ice stones, and this can cause widespread damage.

Tile roofs develop cracks in the tiles from impacts. Metal roofs might be covered in dents, and asphalt shingles can be bruised and destroyed. You might need a complete roof replacement after a bad hailstorm.

4. Repair Animal Damage

Whether you live in the city or country, animals can be drawn to your roof, especially if you have trees nearby that provide easy access. Animals that destroy roofs include raccoons, rats, squirrels, and different kinds of birds. Birds can even cause more damage than rodents if they take over your roof in large numbers.

The type of roofing you have plays a role in how easily it can be damaged by pests. Animals and insects may not bother tile and metal roofs as much as they would asphalt shingles. Your roofer might have to patch holes chewed through the roof and put on new shingles to restore your roof after you've had animals trying to break in your attic. For additional information, contact a residential roofing service.